Clutch device



Oct. 30, 1928.l

J. M. BROWN GLUT-ca DEVICE original Filed Jari. 11', 192s s sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Jam es M Brown "Y CFP ATTORNEY het. 3o, 192s. 1,689,857

I J. M. BROWN CLUTCH DEVICE original Filed Jam. 11, l192s s sheets-sheet 2 INVENToR Jaunes M. rawn PWM@ ATTORNEY J. M. BROWN l CLUTCH DEVICE y Oct. 30, 1928.

'Original Filed Jan. l1, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR dan" es M. Brown im! Q( (J ATTORNEY Patented oet. 3o, 1928.

UNITED lSTATES Piexrlazlv'if OFFICE.

JAMESM. BROWN, oF PITTSBURGH, PENNsYLVANrA; JANE n. BROWNA Ao1vtI1v1srRA-v l TRIX or SAID JAMES M. BROWN, DBCBASED. y i s CIITIHSHv DEVICE.

Application mea Jenueryii, 1923, serial-No. `611,954. Renewed Meren 21, 1928.

. My invention relates `to clutch. devices and particularly to fluid operated clutches for au-` tomotive vehicles.

One object of my invention is to provide a y Clutch that shall be adaptedto transmit the entire driving' torque irrespective of the relative speeds of the driving and driven meinbers of the clutch.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a clutch ofthe above indicated character that shall automatically release'und'er prede'- termined conditions.

Another object of my invention lis to provide a clutchof the above indicatedcharacter4 that shall be capable of transmitting the entire driving torque in such manner that the relative speeds of the driving and the driven elementstvill bedefinite and completely under the control of the operator.

Another object of my invention is to pro# vide a clutch of the fluid-controlled type that Shall have perfect rota-ting balance under all conditions of operation. 4

Another object of my inventionis to prorvide a clutchdevice, of the above indicated character, that shall have meansV for precluding rotation ofthe device in a reverse direce tion from'thatof the driving torque.

A further obj ect of my inventionis to pro-4 vide a clutch; of the above indicated character, Y

that shall be compactand readily insertable in an. automotive vehicle. I

In practicing my invention; I prcn'zidemail l Y operating lever 4G as hereinafter set forth.`

driven shaft and a .drivingmember mounted e thereon. A pistonland va cylinder are car? ried by the driving member and they areoperatively connected to they driven .memberby gears. A chamber is provided lWitlnsuitable relief and control valves for. controlling the pressure therein.

The chamber is operatively connected the cylinder under certain conditions. 4 A brake is provided which iscontrolled `by the same lever that controls the valves and means is also provided forpreventing reversing of the device. I/Vith this arrangement of cylinders;v

Fig. 3 is a sectional view ofthe clutch taken along the line III-III of F -portion 'of a modified form of efy Fig. 4 is a sectional vievs ofthe Aclutch taken along the line IVIV of Fig.4 `1 f y Fig. l5 is a sectional View of the clutch taken along 'the line-.V-V of Fig. 1; y Y "Figi 6 is alongitudinal sectional View of a clutch embodyving my invention; and i Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a stil further modified form of clutchembodying my invention. A

A clutch embodying my invention comprises, in general, a driven shaft 1, adriving element 2 which is mounted on the shaft l and is in turn driven through a flexible coupling 3 from a Hang-e d Which is act atedbythe crank ofaprimemoven The driving' element2 is provided Wit-l1 three symmetrically disposed cylinders '11- which are disposed parallel With respect to the The ,driving element`2 is so shaped yasiitoy vform a pressure chambe`r`21 having a valve,l 16 therein. A valve 17 1s disposed 1n theinn'er end ofeachcylinder 11.

` A-'controlflange 18 ,which is lrestrained in one position by a'sprin'g 19` is slidably mount'- l ed on theV cylindrical portion of the driving member 2 and is adapted to be yactuated by an The cylinders 11 are provided with ports 20 which are so placedl thatxthe cylinders 11 communicate Withthe pressure chamber 21 under certain conditions,` and the pistons 12 are pro- Y `vided With ports 41'l Which register with the ports 20;?, under predetermined conditions... That is, `compressed airwill flow into thecyli" inders 11 from the chamber 21 when the pis-1 ton/moves to the position shown. The Huid in the lcylinders 11 is compressed on t-he in- Ward stroke of the pistons 12 until the ports 2O and 11 register; then the compressed air is exhausted into the chamber'21 to be used o the next outward stroke of the pistons..

elo,

Y The valves 17 are so adjusted t-hatthsey i open'when .the pistons move outwardly to admit air-at atmospheric pressure before the n compressed air is admitted through the ports20. 4 f i The valveA 16 is 42 and 43, the first of Whichl is .actuated by previded `With two parts lil shaft 48.`

the` flange 18 and the second ofwhich is,

held elesed by a spiiilg 44 'Whi'eh ie se atl- Vjusted that Vit opens only when the pressure in the VCylinder 11 `exceeds a pfredetel1H The second parte@ is valso mined value. opened, upon V further movement o1' the flange 18. The valves 16 are'conneote'd to the cylinders 1 1 through ports 10,V A screw 45 is provided for'adjusting the" setting oi the portion 4 3 of the valvesl.

one end ef the .ehe-ft 1 is adapte-el te titiii i freely in thefia'nge 4 and the other end is l holder 2 4, that is keyed I-ietativel'y movable irla iff-miie 3l,

supported by 'a bearing 26m the housing or frame 6 of the elut'ch device. A flange l '25' is mounted on the shaft 1 as is also one el'eine'nt ofa braking 'device '7.

VThe braking device 7 Consists of a plate to the shaft 1, and plates 27 lthat Yare'mounted on and loligi'tiii rvdinally but non-l'otatively movable on' the nieiilber A" pressure plateQS, and intermediate plates Q9 are also mounted `onthev nlelnotr'24v itilds'tationary' plates 30 are mounted eh and are longitudinally ybut* tien- The 'plates-are compressed by a lever 32 which is le'v ac lapted to "be'actuated by 'a cani that is mounted on a shaft 'd8 upoh'ivliich is also mounted a: eem 47 for etre eifatihg with the 'Crank 49 or aeti'lating theV lever 46 'and a The lich-reversing ineahs'edhsists vof the plete Vhelder 24, platee 2'7 enel sakes lh the brake, a plate 38, a'piesslirepllate 3/1 and f a locking. ring 35 towhicli are iixed dogs 3G -vvliicfll are spring pressed springs 37jinto eil agementwith'rnotelles 3 9 in the 'frame `orv4 ho sing YVhen torque is furnished by Ithe Crank of the prinlejmover,'it is transmitted through the 4llexilele driving means .a te the diviiiitg elemente, Since the gears-l5 eiid'sajai-e continuously engaged, "the moven'ientr 'of the member Q about the shaft'l e'ausejs the several t-evjel ypihieiis th tuin es it ifevelvee and ih se eleihg it will eeueiefthe ereiiks 14 lte turn.

0n theoutward stroke V'of the pistons 12,

air 'drawn iii Vthrough ythe valves 17, which air is compressed on the 'return stroke 'of the pistons until the ports 'and 41 register, then the'com-pressed air is eonveyed to the e auxiliary pressure ollamber21. Should the vat pressure in the cylindersll becjoine too high, the portioii 113 of the valves 16 "Wi11 open to relieve the pressure and in all intents a'nd vpurposesv disconnects `the clutch action.

yIt will be readily seen that the amount of moveineritof the pistons 12 and the speed oi? rotation'pf A'the inioh 15 control the" relative speed-'between t le' members'l and 2. There'- fore, if the valves 16 are closed so completely asv Vnot to peii'liit mov'eliient of the pistohs,

the speed the elements -11iid 52 will be the his will reciprocate the pistons 1Q" lin the Cylinders Y same. The buildingup-oi the pressurein' the chamber 21 andin the cylihc 'ers 11 may be 'delayed or prevented by thern'lanipula-V tiongof the two portions, of :the valves1 to Y partial vor' full .open position.

Vhen it is desired to stop theclutch or `cause a difference. in speed between 'the elements 1-and'2, the crank/19 is turnedk causing theshaft '48 to turn. Tl'listu'r'ns the cam 47 i into engagelnentvvith the lever lioeausing the flange 18 'to movein'to such position asto opeii a 'gtealter'number of strokes 'ofthe pistons 12 ther movement of the crank 1 '9 will o'penfthe pe'rtieii 43 et tli'exielve le ,will-eh ieeliiees'the j Y 85..

the. portioli'ifofivalve 16, and this'oaus'jes i leakageof air. i Theleakageca 'usesadifereneel in speed betweenthe 'elements 1 and Zand'aiso in order to' maint-ain the desired pressure the eylindersll and the eharnber 2 1.V A flirand a. braking Laction to be'exertedolinthe* shaft 1.

Since the nonreversing plates '38' are clailiped ypermanently by .the elamfpiiigplate' 34, whenthe 'dei/*ice 1s at rest the dogs 3 6 en -ij gage .notches'39 to preventr'eversal'.' Ho'xjv` ever, V when the shaft 1 rotates in ythe proper direction, the 'Centrifugal forces exerted on;

the dogst cause disengagement from the notch'es); shaft l through 'plate-'e seemed este prevent ii llfigefthe jtliewihge, -heveilltletrated the eyliders12fdisposed at aliailgle With 5rei The dogs '36 are fastened to the speot to .the shaft'l to shorten Ythe device buti Stili symmetrically leeateli Yte' ensure' ajeeuiat'e halatiee under all 'conditions ef operation.

Ilig, 7 the pistons aild Cylinders 12 'a'nd 1 1 l are disposed around tlle 'shaft tvithrtheir i iii pleii'espetpenfdieula te the shaft. These also are so symmetrically -arifangledas to proL duce balanced oporation .V Withthe arrahgfmeiitfshowii in Fig. 7, the overall length of t e devieemay be greatly shortened. e

` While l heveilluetietetl sev-eifel ef-theyre fel'red forms of myrinveiitioihit is not lnrvit'ed yto the speelfie structure illustrated but maybe variouslyv modified Withollt Ydepart-gl Y ing from Vthe spirit and l-seop'e 'of ,the iiiveni' tien, asset forth inthe appended claims'.v

' I claim as my invention-;-

1. In a clutch device, 'the 'combination 'wvth a driving and a driveil 'el'utoh member, of oooperating gear members for eolllleetirl'g` Vthe drivillg" and driven clutcl'lv members together,

nected to one of-the'eluteh members-,means for 1`otatablyconneeting the 'other gear einem.` `ber to the other- Clutch me1nber,al Cylinder',

l nl

a piston connected to the rotatably connected gear member for controlling the operation of said rotatably connected gear member and means vvhereby during part of the intake stroke or" the piston the cylinder is supplied with compressed air.

2. In a clutch device, the combination with a'driving and a driven clutch member, of cooperating gear members for connecting theV clutch members together, means for fixedly mounting one of the gear members on the driven member, a cylinder mounted on the driving clutch member, a piston therefor,

ymeans for connecting the piston to the other gear member, and means for causing compressed air to be supplied'to the cylinder during a part of the stroke of the piston.

3. In a clutch device, the combination With a driving and a driven clutch member, of a cylinder and a piston mounted on the clutch members for connecting the said members, a pressure chamber, means whereby on the exhaust stroke the fluid in the cylinder is eX- hausted into the chamber under predetermined conditions, and means whereby on the intake strokethe pressure chamber is connected to the cylinder during a part of the stroke of the piston.k

4. In a clutch device, the combination with a driving and a driven clutch member, of a cylinder and piston mountedon the clutch members for connecting the said members, a pressure Chamber, and means whereby the 'the intakev and exhaust strokes, and means for controlling the pressure inthe chamber.

6. In aclutch device, t-he combination with a drivingand a driven clutch member, of a cylinder and a piston mountedy on one of the clutch members for connecting the clutch members together,a pressure chamber communicating with the cylinder during both strokes of the pistonl and means for normally controllingthe pressure in the chamber.

'7. In a clutch device, the combination With a driving and a driven clutch member, of a cylinder and a piston Vfor connecting the part of the intake stroke of the piston the cylinder is open to the atmosphere and during another part of the intake stroke of the 'clutch members, and means'whereby during piston the cylinder is supplied with comf pressed air. p f

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of January, 1923.

JAMES M. BROWN. 

